The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the department's plan of using agricultural containers near port terminals to help streamline operations for shippers of American-grown farm goods, according to a March 18 release.
This effort, according to Vilsack, was prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on exports.
"The pandemic revealed vulnerabilities across our supply system, and as the economy has made a historic recovery, it has put additional strain on the supply chain," Vilsack said. "The Biden-Harris Administration is calling out ocean carriers that are taking advantage of the situation to leverage undue profits and are treating U.S. agricultural companies and producers unacceptably."
The USDA will also partner with Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) to increase access to a 49-acre facility in Seattle that will accommodate temporary storage of both dry agricultural and refrigerated containers.
The NWSA, which encompasses the ports of Seattle and Tacoma's marine cargo operations, is the country's fourth-largest container port.
The USDA seeks to minimize operational barriers and expenses and improve cargo loading aboard ships through this partnership.
The USDA's plans to boost capacity through the NWSA come after the department announced a similar agreement with the Port of Oakland in California and a U.S. Department of Transportation partnership with the Port of Savannah in Georgia on Jan. 31.
